At World's End
by thomthom830
Summary: This is my version of At World's End, of course it is set after DMC. JackOC. I never got around to incorporating any spoilers that I'd read, so don't worry. Please read. And disclaimer: I don't own POTC, but I sure wish I could.
1. Beginning of the End

A/N: I do not own any of the Pirates of the Caribbean characters, I only own Danielle. This is my first ever fanfiction online, so please don't be too mean. Thanks.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter One

She was fed up. She didn't want to be a pirate anymore. Thirteen years ago she sailed on the _Black Pearl_ with Captain Jack Sparrow. But his crew mutinied, and refused to maroon her on the island with him. She was shackled to the mast and had to watch as Jack got smaller and smaller on the tiny strip of land.

Captain Barbossa had decided that she and he would be married. Then she would _only_ provide the services of a wife, not a pirate and when he was done with her, he would land her.

My name is Danielle Marie Reese. More commonly known as Dani. And I was betrothed to Captain Jack Sparrow thirteen years ago. I was a pirate on his ship. The crew thought I was bad luck, until Jack was gone, then they saw me as a benefit.

Jack and I didn't even see the mutiny coming. One day we just woke up and there was the entire crew holding us at gunpoint. I screamed and cried as they made Jack walk the plank. I didn't know what to do. He looked at me and told me everything would be all right and kissed my forehead. But everything wasn't all right.

I was shackled to the bedpost inside the cabin that used to belong to Jack and I while Barbossa went through my things and worst of all…Jack's things. They wanted the compass of Jack's that doesn't point north. But Jack had taken that with him.

Barbossa grew angry at me, screaming that he needed to find it to help him find the Isla de la Muerta. I told him that if he wanted to find it, he had to do it himself. Nothing could help him now.

The day that we were supposed to be married, we were a few miles off shore from Port Royal. I jumped ship with a few of my belongings and swam. I swam as fast and as hard as I could. If I couldn't be with Jack on the ocean, I would rather be alone on land.

I used what money I could gather, and could swim with, to buy a small flat in Port Royal. My name was changed to Danielle Meyer, because I didn't want to be recognized. I couldn't bear to have someone find me out as pirate after I had given up that lifestyle.

I then used my dressmaking skills to keep the ladies in Port Royal, mostly government official's wives happy. I could produce a dress in two days, if I worked all night. I have now been working as the royal dressmaker for the last thirteen years, trying to erase my life as a fugitive pirate.


	2. To Find Jack

At World's End: Chapter 2

I had heard rumors about two years ago that Jack Sparrow had been in Port Royal. But that was when I had gone home to England to see my family. That, however, is a different story. Jack could not have been in Port Royal. Couldn't. He's dead. That island was in the middle of nowhere and not even the infamous _Captain_ Jack Sparrow could get himself out of that one.

I was commissioned to make a new coat for Lord Beckett today. It appears that he has taken over as governor. I always liked Governor Swann. It seems truly unfair of the East India Trading Company to do such a thing, but I still am a pirate at heart and will never like them. They tried to spoil a lot of my fun in the old days.

I didn't want to do the fitting. I knew that Governor Swann was going to be there as well, strictly for appearances, nothing more. Swann had me make his daughter a dress, right before I went to London. He wanted high fashion. I gave him high fashion. But then I heard that some bloody imbecile cut it off his daughter. That was the last dress I had made for Miss Swann. I had up until that point made all of her other formal dresses as well.

Little did I know that while I was preparing to measure the Commodore, my old friend Tia Dalma was setting some others out on a mission to find me.

"You need to find _her,_" Tia Dalma told the remaining crew.

"_Her?_" Barbossa snarled.

His tone made Tia smile. He knew exactly who she was talking about.

"She's still alive? I thought when she jumped ship she was shark food," the captain smirked.

"She's made of stronger stuff than you could have ever imagined. She's made of the same stuff Jack Sparrow is."

"How is any of this going to help us?" Will interrupted.

"She has a compass like Jack's."

"She does!" Barbossa fumed. "She lied to me thirteen years ago."

"Now isn't the time for that, Barbossa." Tia Dalma tried to calm him. "Go find her and take her with you. She will help you save Jack."

"Why do you want Jack Sparrow back so much?" Elizabeth shakily asked.

"Because the world is a sad place without Jack Sparrow."


	3. Finding Her

At World's End: Chapter 3

I worked for three weeks, night and day, sewing for five officials. They wanted a new button or patch sewn on every time I thought I had finished. Five identical naval coats and none of the five could agree on anything. Finally, all the changes had been made and I carried them myself to the fort.

I don't want to be a pirate anymore, but living on land is so boring. I had worked very hard in the last thirteen years to forget about all that. But every time I get closer to the water all I can think of is the always-present sea breeze, the spray of the water, and the endless horizon. _'But I don't want to be a pirate anymore.'_

Usually, when I enter the fort, all business is hushed. But today, they were talking extremely loudly about Davy Jones. Something about his heart. And then I overheard something about Jack. My Jack. About Elizabeth Swann, William Turner and…Jack Sparrow. _'Captain'_ I whispered to myself. But he's dead. I knocked on the door and instantly the talk ended.

I braced myself for the ogling that would then occur.

"Miss Meyer, you have the jackets?" Norrington asked me.

"Yes, sir. I do." I hated having to be nice to them. But I had to; if I didn't they would realize who I was. I managed to escape having the brand as well, something even Jack couldn't get out of.

I handed him the packages and could feel the eyes on me. They were looking me over, and over again. _'I wish my dress wasn't so low cut,'_ I thought.

"If I could just trouble you to try them on, I will then be on my way. I just need to see if the alterations went correctly," I smiled. Even though I hate being ogled, I do know how to use my naturally good looks for the better.

They all obliged me and slipped their respective jackets on. Luckily, I know how to make alterations perfectly and they all fit. I said my good-byes, turned around and left. Unfortunately, Mr. Norrington followed me out the door.

"Miss Meyer, would you allow me the honor of courting you?" He asked, rather shyly.

"Excuse me?" I said, trying not to gag.

"I would very much like to make you my wife someday."

"That's a lot to think about." I tried to smile, but my insides were starting to hurt. I thought I was either going to burst out laughing or be sick. Either one wouldn't be the best choice.

"Yes, of course." He smiled at me again.

"Good day, Captain." I told him and he bent to kiss my hand. I had to remember to scrub it hard when I got home.

When I left the fort, I noticed an odd ship docking at the port. I thought about it for a minute, and then continued on my way home.

I didn't know that the people on that ship would change my life in a matter of minutes.

"I can't believe she's lived in Port Royal and we never met her."

Will, who was still angry about the kiss he saw on the _Pearl_, replied, "Well, you didn't spend a lot of time with commoners, did you?"

Elizabeth shot him an angry look as they slipped around the stone buildings. "You know how my father feels about pirates. And with bloody good reason."

"Be quiet," Barbossa hissed at the both of them.

They slowly made their way through the town towards the small flat Dani lived in.

"That's it," Barbossa said shortly thereafter. "Go ahead, knock."

Will reached forward and gently rapped on the door. Instantly there she was.

The woman didn't have a pirate-ness, if one could have pirate-ness. She was dressed in an elegant corseted navy blue dress with her dark hair pulled tight on her head. Like most women she wore the powdered make-up and crushed rouge on her cheeks, something Will hadn't seen in a while from the likes of Elizabeth.

She looked kind and calm, that is, until she saw Barbossa. She shrieked and passed out cold on her doorstep.


	4. Memories

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for the cliffhanger. I couldn't resist.

At World's End: Chapter 4

Jack Sparrow sat in the goo that was the inside of the Kraken. He was swallowed whole, but couldn't decide if he were alive or dead. However, he could definitely tell he was in Hell. The only reason he didn't mind was that he would see Danielle soon.

He spent the last thirteen years secretly hoping to find her. Or some sign of her. He hid his pain with rum, other women, and pirating. But mostly rum. Lots and lots of rum.

Rum was the only way he could handle watching Barbossa sail away with Dani and the _Pearl. _ She would refuse to marry him. She would rather _die_ before marrying Barbossa. So that's why Jack had to assume that she was dead.

It's odd that Barbossa didn't mention her. He was, however, slightly preoccupied with being undead and all. At least Jack knew she never made it to Isla de la Muerta.

All Jack could do was reminisce. He sat and remembered the day he met Danielle. She was nineteen years old and in the middle of a large bar fight on Tortuga. Jack, who was a few years older that her and more experienced at swordplay, fought his way into the fight to protect her. She stole his sword without even looking at him and fought her own way out.

He marched straight up to her outside the tavern that was shaking from the rowdiness inside.

"I demand my sword back."

"Here you go." She tossed the cutlass at him and it landed about a quarter of an inch from his big toe. "It was an awfully _stupid_ thing to do. Go into a fight that didn't involve you."

"Did you start that?" He asked as he spun dramatically, pointing at the tavern.

"It was the only way to get what I wanted…so I formed a distraction." She smiled. She showed him a map, however briefly and began to walk away with a walk almost as distinct as Jack's own swagger.

"Love, I think that this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship," he said into her ear as he caught up with her.

They had been a "couple" ever since. (Even though no one could decide a couple of what.) She was just as eccentric as Jack was and it has been torture without her by his side for so long. Jack and Danielle were going to be married and spend a lifetime doing some respectable pirating.

Jack stood up and waited for the large tooth-filled mouth to open to draw in some more food. Instead he was hit with a small tidal wave of water and knocked flat on his back in the goo once more.

"Bugger."


	5. Barbossa's Return

A/N: I will always write Dani in first person, everyone else in third person. I just like it better that way. Thanks for the reviews! It is really encouraging to have people want to read more!

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 5

When I came to, I slowly opened my eyes. I had hoped that Barbossa was just a figment of my imagination. But I was wrong. There he was sitting across from me in my very own flat.

"Get out!" I yelled.

"Now, now, darlin'. Is that the way to talk to your captain?" Barbossa smirked. Oh, how I hated that smirk. I've seen it too many times before. Especially when I have just woken up.

"Why are you here?" I asked, standing up and seeing the others.

"Miss Elizabeth? William? What are you doing here?"

"You're Jack's future wife? You're Danielle Reese?" Will asked me.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I lied. I had known these two for years. I made dresses for Elizabeth for Pete's sake!

"We need your help to find Jack." Elizabeth explained.

"That is going to be slightly difficult being that he is dead. He died thirteen years ago when this devil of a man marooned him on an island," I spat.

"Jack isn't dead. Well, he might be now. He got off that island. But Davy Jones set the Kraken out after him."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to be anywhere but here. I didn't want to think that Jack was out there because I had spent more than a decade trying to forget him.

"Tia Dalma said that you were the only one who could help us. That you have a compass just like Jack's."

"I won't be any help. I am no longer a pirate. I have given it up."

"You have to help us!" Elizabeth sounded exasperated.

"Please, Miss Danielle, you are the only way we can find Jack. We need to get him home safely. Don't you miss him?"

"What do you mean _'don't I miss him'_? Of course I miss him! The last time I saw him was thirteen years ago and I was shackled to the mast watching him get smaller and smaller on an empty island. So, I am not going anywhere with that man!" I yelled, pointing at Barbossa. He seemed to be looking for something. "And by the way, don't bother looking for the compass, Barbossa. I've hidden it too well for the likes of you."

He looked at me and I swear he growled. A grown man just growled at me.

"You're getting on the boat, poppet. I don't care whether or not you want to go. You are getting on the ship and you _will_ use the compass to help us find Jack. If you don't comply with me _telling_ you nicely, you will be killed. After all, the dead are easier to search." Barbossa told me as he drew his gun.

"Do you really think I'm afraid to die, Barbossa? You ruined my life already. If the Kraken already got Jack, what makes you think he's still alive? If you killed me right now, it will be the one nice thing you've ever done in your miserable pirating life."


	6. An Altercation

A/N: I really like that people like my story. I guess I'll continue with it. Thanks everyone that has reviewed. I hope you continue to read!

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 6

So I pushed past Barbossa and his gun to my room. I packed a bag with some clothes and my personal effects. I pulled up a loose floorboard and picked up the compass. I hadn't looked at it in almost ten years. Whenever I used to open it, it would spin wildly and never stop. This time, I opened it and it spun for a half a second and stopped, pointing straight out to the docks. _'Maybe that is what I want the most.'_

I shoved the compass into my bag and closed the plank in the floor. I took one last look around my humble room. I knew I would probably never see it again.

Out in the sitting room, the group had sat down in attempts to make themselves more comfortable.

"So you're coming with us?" Will timidly asked.

"So it seems," I replied, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"Let's go," Barbossa motioned for the door.

We left my flat and headed for the docks. I was the last in the line to reach the ship. I eyed it warily as I got closer to it. It had been a long time since I had been anywhere near a ship.

Will turned and took my arm to help me on board. I crossed easily from the dock to the ship, as if no time had passed since the last time I boarded.

On board I was greeted warmly with a couple familiar faces. Mr. Gibbs was there and so was Anna Maria. It was starting to feel like old times.

"Good. Now you're here," Barbossa said to me. "We'll be needing our heading."

And to everyone's amazement, I produced an identical compass to the one Jack carried on his belt.

"I can't believe that there is a second _broken_ compass in this world," Elizabeth said aloud. I noticed that she then looked slightly embarrassed.

Will turned on his heel immediately to stare into her eyes. "If Jack didn't have that _bloody broken compass_, we would have never found each other again." He stopped for a second, clearly wondering if he should continue the argument out in the open. He decided to continue, "but clearly having me back wasn't what you wanted."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." He suddenly got quiet and guarded. Like he knew something that the others couldn't know. That he didn't want _me_ to know.

"You started this, Will. Finish it."

"Fine. I wanted to spare you the embarrassment, but why did you kiss Jack on the _Pearl_?"


	7. From the Belly of the Beastie

A/N: I was going to wait until later to post…and you know, sleep, but I had a great idea for a chapter. Hope everyone likes it. And I'm also changing the way I'm writing about others for this chapter. Hopefully it will just be this chapter and won't be too confusing.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 7

Jack paced his cabin. His cabin was the damp, gooey insides of a squid-like creature.

'_If I close my eyes,'_ he thought, _'I can almost picture my captain's quarters on the _Pearl.'

"Beastie, this is going to be my last attempt to talk some sense into you. I hope you speak English and not some horrible fish language because my previous attempts would have fallen on deaf ears, if you have ears. Please, please, I'm asking nicely. And I don't do anything nicely. Make port somewhere and spit me out. I can't possibly taste any good. Besides, I have to get out and find Elizabeth Swann. I need to chain her to a sinking ship. In fact, I'll give you Elizabeth when I get out. Gibbs was right: women are bad luck on ships. Dani was never bad luck though…"

The Kraken made a strange gurgling noise, something to the likes of indigestion.

"Ok, ok, I know I'm rambling. Please, just do ol' Jack this one favor. Spit me out on some land."

And it seemed like the Kraken understood and complied. It stopped and it's mouth opened up to sunshine and blue sky. It seemed as though it was frozen about a mile from a shore.

Jack took his opportunity and climbed out of the Kraken's mouth, careful to miss all the teeth. Who knew such a beast could be sentimental?

"Thank you, beastie," Jack called as he swam away. But Jack didn't notice that the beast started to sink back underwater. Who knew what it was up to?

And at the precise moment that Jack made his escape, Dani's compass spun madly in the opposite direction that they were sailing.

"That's odd," Dani said quietly to herself, right before she ran to tell Gibbs to turn the ship around.


	8. Confrontation

A/N: I wrote this while at work, so I hope it isn't too farfetched.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 8

I couldn't move. I had just told Mr. Gibbs to turn the ship around when the sound of Will's voice hit me. She kissed Jack? I moved closer, leaving Gibbs alone at the wheel.

"_Why_ did I kiss Jack?" Elizabeth stormed. She looked furious, stomping around the deck.

"Yes," I interjected. "Why _did_ you kiss Jack?" I wanted to know myself.

Elizabeth looked mortified. She turned away from me with an ashamed look on her face. But I couldn't exactly expect Jack to remain faithful over the years. After all, he thought I was dead…and he's a pirate. Pirates don't settle down. I couldn't expect him to wait for me.

"I had to distract him. The Kraken wasn't coming after us or the _Black Pearl_, it was after Jack." She looked around for a friendly face, finding none. I guess she chose to ignore the devilish smirk on Barbossa's face.

"You chained him to the ship, didn't you?" I wondered out loud. I am quicker than most.

"I _had_ to. It was the _only_ way we could survive."

The crew looked angry but also looked like they understood. Their captain was gone because of her, but also knew that if Elizabeth hadn't tricked Jack, they would all be dead.

"So you mean to tell me, _Elizabeth_," Will hissed, "that you kissed Jack Sparrow _only_ to protect the crew?" Will was furious. His face was a shade of red I had never seen naturally on skin.

"Well…not exactly…it was…"

"Curiosity," I finished for her. I knew only too well what that curiosity felt like. It started as a small, dull, _annoying_ thought. Jack did that to women. It eventually escalates to a nagging pain that leads you to do whatever it takes to rid yourself of it.

I suppose I couldn't really blame her. But I was so jealous that she had her lips on Jack recently and I hadn't seen him in so long.

But my understanding did not help young William in any way. He kicked the mast hard and stormed to what I presumed was his cabin. I heard the door slam and glass shatter. I decided to follow him.

As I walked quickly to the cabin I heard Elizabeth mutter, "What have I done?" as she hung her head in shame.

_A/N2: I'm sorry for another short one. Hopefully, I'll have a 9th chapter up tonight too. thomthom_


	9. Comforting

A/N: If anyone has any suggestions…feel free to let me know. Thanks for being loyal and continuing to read. Thanks for all the great reviews. I hope I can keep you all interested. thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 9

I knocked hard on the door.

"Go away, Elizabeth, I don't want to talk anymore," he said without looking through the glass.

"I am in no way Elizabeth, young William."

"Why does everyone call me 'young William'?" He asked as I entered the small cabin. Almost exactly the same as my quarters: dark wood, sparse furniture, tiny flutters of light from the grimy windows.

"My best guess is that you are younger than the rest of us and when pirates tire or drink too much rum, their ability to give people nicknames escapes them," I smiled at him. "Rather conveniently, might I add?" Good. I got him to smile. If I could be smiling at a time like this, then I know he could, too. "But that's just what I think and my opinion doesn't matter much."

"Miss Danielle, I…"

"Dani."

"Dani, I don't want you to get involved with this," he waved his hands around. As if "this" meant the ship, the cabin, everyone on board.

"I was involved long before even your father knew _you_ were around," I corrected him.

"My father knew he had a son?"

"Aye," I nodded. "He spoke of you when they strapped the canons to him and sent him over the side of the ship. I fought all I could to save him, but I was too weak from being chained for days and my threats and promises no longer meant anything to Barbossa's crew."

"How could she do this?" He quickly changed the subject. This bothered me for a second, but I answered him.

"You have a lot to learn about pirates."

"Elizabeth is not a pirate."

"How do you know? Did she tell you that she wasn't? Because you can always trust a pirate to be dishonest. And that's the truth."

"She isn't a pirate," he answered quickly, but added, "yet."

"William…I am in no way telling you to forgive her, clearly your heart doesn't want to, nor am I telling you to ignore the act. She kissed Jack. But we are going to be stuck on this bloody ship all together for a while…so I suggest you learn to be civil to one another. Or I'll have to toss her overboard and you'll follow her. And I don't like to threaten nice boys like you anymore." I said with a flourish, I had a little bit of that Jack swagger in me, too.

Just when he thought I was taking her side, my anger towards her came out to make him feel slightly better for the emotions he was feeling.

"Are we going the right way now?"

"How can you tell if you're going the right way when you get to the end of the world?"

"Touché."

"And if it would make you feel better, we can use her for target practice instead of that blasted monkey."

"How did you know that we use Jack the monkey as a target?"

"I'm one of those _bloody pirates_ and I know what a bloody good target is. Top an undead monkey!"

I held the door open for him and he exited the small cabin. _'I'm on this ship at their request and here I am, comforting them!'_

A/N: I was going for a bit of comic relief because I had a really boring day.


	10. All By His Onesies

A/N: Okay, so the last part of this has some Spanish in it. I don't speak Spanish. I took French in high school. So I used Please don't blame me if it's wrong and the translations will be added at the end. Thanks for the great reviews and I hope you like this chapter as well!

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 10

Jack didn't think he could swim anymore. His whole body felt heavy. The water was so cold that his hands and feet were numb. And conveniently, just when he thought he couldn't swim any longer, land was in sight. Only about a half a mile more. His plan to give up and drown was abandoned. He swam with a renewed morale to get to shore.

He stood up as he got into shallow water and stumbled to land. He took one look around and fell face down into the sand.

He slept, because he was sober and because he was exhausted. He was sure that this beach didn't have any rum at all, because he saw no people. Without the rum, he started to remember _her_: her eyes, the color of the ocean; her dark, curly hair; her long legs. And despite spending time as a pirate, she had soft, smooth skin. Oh, how that skin felt against his own.

When he awoke again, he realized that he had a mouth full of sand. He spit it out. "Bugger!"

He pushed himself to his knees and then stood up completely. Jack looked around and contemplated his situation. "Bugger," he said once again and began to stomp up and down. "But," he started, "if I'm stuck here, at least my Hell had palm trees and white sand beaches."

Jack started to walk. And walk. Finding only more sand and more water. "Not good," he mumbled. So he decided to venture into the jungle, even though his past trips haven't been that entirely safe. Well, he managed to keep his sword and gun, so maybe he'd be all right. He was, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Jack walked cautiously through the leafy vegetation. After what seemed like hours of walking, he came to a small village. The women weaving paid him no attention, but the men stopped him. "Also not good."

"Qué hace usted aqui?" the man asked.

Jack not knowing what the man said, answered, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." He flailed his arms, as if this would help the language barrier. "I'm here all by my onesies and could really, _really_ use some rum!" He made a drinking motion, moving his hand up and down.

Another man approached Jack. "Hay más de usted piratea la venida?" he questioned, pointing his finger in Jack's face.

Two young men came running and were out of breath. "Nosotros lo segumos. El está solo. Ningunos barcos."

One of the older men nodded. "No los dañe. El debaser un dios." The man turned to one of the women, "tráigale alguna agua." The woman stopped her weaving and went off.

Jack, all the while, stood looking confused. His head turned to each person as they spoke the foreign language.

The woman came back and handed Jack a liquid in a wooden bowl. Jack was hoping that it was rum but didn't quite have the coloring. He took a sip and spit it out. "No more water! Why is there _never_ any rum?"

The group assembled was taken aback at Jack's outburst.

"Nosotros lo debemos hacer nuestro jefe."

"Por qué?"

"Ningún hombre puede aparcer apenas fuera del agua."

The crowd nodded at the old man's statement and they ushered him to the other side of the village.

"This can't be good," Jack said to no one in particular as the crowd pushed him.

"Qué hace usted aqui?" – What are you doing here?

"Hay más de usted piratea la venida?" – Are there more of you pirates coming?

"Nosotros lo segumos. El está solo. Ningunos barcos." – We followed him. He is alone. No ships.

"No los dañe. El debaser un dios." -- Do not harm him. He must be a god.

"Tráigale alguna agua." – Fetch him some water.

"Nosotros lo debemos hacer nuestro jefe." – We must make him our chief.

"Por qué?" – Why?

"Ningún hombre puede aparcer apenas fuera del agua." – No man can just appear.


	11. Be nice

At World's End: Chapter 11

After I got Will to go back out on deck, I went to find Elizabeth. I found her in another cabin.

This girl has bothered me for thirteen years now. It always seemed like she was hiding something. Elizabeth always had so many questions. Her fascination with my previous (and unknown) lifestyle annoyed me. Had I ever met a pirate? No, I'd lie. I didn't need her telling her father, the governor, later on.

Maybe she asked questions because she could tell I was lying. Maybe we were more alike that I wanted to admit.

I entered the room without knocking, as the door was open.

"I honestly didn't know you were part of Jack's life, nor did I know any of this would happen. I thought Will was already down in the longboat. That he couldn't see…" she trailed off, never looking up at me.

"Elizabeth, I did not come down here to judge you. Or be angry."

"You didn't?"

"I came to apologize for lying to you."

"Lying to me?" She said, completely shocked.

"At your dress fittings, I always used to lie to your questions because I didn't want to be found out. I didn't want any knowledge of pirating to get into your head because the least of all the things the governor's daughter should be is a pirate." I looked out the small window. "And I really had to cover up when I learned of William and you seeing the ship with black sails."

"You knew about Will and his father?"

"Of course I did. And I instantly recognized the name when you brought him 'round to introduce us. Spitting image of his father now when he was his age."

"Well, it was for the best, it seems."

"I didn't want to be a pirate anymore. I didn't want the responsibilities that came along with living the pirate life, but I will start making threats like I used to. Go out there, find young William, and apologize. Or you'll be making your own pledge to Davy Jones and as you know, he's not all that nice."

Elizabeth, who had never been spoken to this way by me or anyone else for that matter, nodded stiffly in my direction and exited the cabin.

When I reached the deck sometime later, Elizabeth and Will were in a corner by themselves, almost back to the way they were. Will had his arm around her shoulders and Elizabeth was looking straight into his dark eyes. Once again, I wasn't sure why I felt the need for them to be together. Something about them just spoke to me. I felt like they needed to be together for us to get through this.

I walked to the bow of the ship and opened my compass. I must remember to thank Tia Dalma again for this. The needle was still fixed in the same direction we were heading. _'I just hope this doesn't mean he's dead.'_

"Why are you up here all by your lonesome?" Barbossa asked. I, of course, jumped because I was lost in my thoughts.

"Just checking our heading."

"Why is it that you and I never worked out?"

"It might have been because you left my fiancé on a desert island and tied me to the mast and made me watch. Then you were going to _force_ me to marry you."

"Aye, darlin', but is that a good enough reason to jump ship like you decided to do?"

"I actually can't think of a better reason to jump ship. Funny little world, innit?" I smiled. "We're going to have to get along for the duration of this trip, Barbossa."

"Aye," he nodded.

"So you're going to have to be nice."

"I am _never_ nice. And you never used to be either."

"I've changed, slightly. I'll still kill you, savvy?"

"Death doesn't suit me, darlin'. Don't fancy it much. But I know you'll never find your precious Jack Sparrow without me."

"Does that mean you're withholding information?"

"Does that mean we have an agreement?"

"Of some kind, aye," I said and shook his dirty hand.

"Which leads me to tell you that we're heading to the Dead Shores."

"Is that where Jack is?"

"If he wasn't there, why would your compass be pointing in that direction?"

"But…" I started, but everything went black again.

A/N: Sorry that I didn't post earlier. I was at work (serving people popcorn for their movies) and then I took my mom to see Pirates 2. (She liked it by the way.) I hope this is up to what I have written previously. Please let me know if you like the way I've let this story go. Thanks. thomthom


	12. Too Much for ol' Jack

At World's End: Chapter 12

Jack sat, surrounded by these…_people._ His head throbbed. They gave him something to drink last night in place of the damn water and the rum. He'd drank so much of it that he spent the morning sick on the shore. No more of that stuff. It was only rum from now on for ol' Captain Jack. No more of that…what did he hear them say…ah, tequila.

Jack didn't want to be chief…again. He'd been there, done that. They tried to cook him last time. Nothing like being roasted on a spit to ruin a perfectly good day. These people didn't appear to be the Jack-eating kind, but he didn't want to take any chances. He decided to sneak out as soon as everyone went to sleep.

He took out his compass and squinted at it in the darkness. He headed out to the shore and walked. He did his usual walk for hours, but the sky never changed. He, however, should have been watching the vegetation. It slowly was starting to look shriveled and dead. As Jack watched ahead of him he began to see pieces of shipwrecks. Jack one more step forward and was immediately surrounded by men. Men he'd seen before. Men who mutinied on him.

"Welcome to the Dead Shores, _Captain,_" the man laughed.

"But I'm not dead."

"Not yet," another one of the men said, laughing at him as well.

"Not good," Jack said as he looked around the men who were moving closer and closer.

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A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I just wanted to update while I still had some of an idea in my head. Review please! All comments are welcome, as always!

thomthom


	13. Jack's Girl

A/N: So sorry about the REALLY short chapter. I had writer's block and needed to get that idea out before it fizzled. And sorry it's been so long since I updated. I worked 'til 2 last night and then had to be back at 9 this morning. Hope this chapter is liked. Read and review please?

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 13

Will saw Danielle fall down by Barbossa at the bow of the ship. He ran towards her and knelt down when he was next to her and Barbossa.

"What happened?" Will asked.

"She fainted…again," Barbossa semi-smirked.

"Are you sure she just _fainted?_"

"Positive. She was standing there talking one second, on the deck the next."

"How odd. Where's the blood coming from?" Will asked as soon as he saw a smudge underneath her.

"She must have hit her head."

"Let's move her to her cabin. I've got her." Will said, picking her unconscious body off the wooden deck.

"I hope she's all right." Elizabeth whispered as she watched her being carried away.

"I'm sure she's just fine." Barbossa nodded.

They took her to her cabin and put her on the bed.

"She should probably have some water," Will said, looking to Pintel and Ragetti. The two then rushed off in search of clean drinking water, leaving Will and Elizabeth looking after Danielle.

"Has she stopped bleeding?"

"Yes."

"We should probably get the corset off of her," Elizabeth told Will. "Will you help me sit her up?"

"Sure."

He bent and sat the limp body of Dani up. Elizabeth quickly undid the laces and the blue dress was slipped from her body and placed gently by Will over the chair. And for the first time, they saw a small blue tattoo of a bird, a sparrow to be exact. That it would match Jack's. The only difference was that it was smaller. It was placed in the center of her right shoulder, almost on her collarbone, where a dress would cover it.

"She's got one like Jack's."

"I wonder how she escaped the pirate brand," Elizabeth said after taking a quick glance at her bare arms.

"I wonder how Jack didn't."

She started to stir about that time.

"Dani, are you okay?" Will asked as soon as her eyes opened.

"I'm okay…I think."

"Do you know what happened?"

"The last thing I remember is Barbossa pushing me into the mast."

"That would explain the blood. She hit her head," Elizabeth turned away from Dani and told Will.

They both turned back to her in order to watch her furiously searching the room with her eyes.

"Where's the compass?"

"The compass?"

"Yes, the compass. I had it out when Barbossa came to talk to me."

"Maybe we ought to go find him."

"That might be wise," Dani said as she left the cabin in just her underclothes that left little to the imagination.

Elizabeth and Will reached the deck just in time to see Dani with Barbossa at gunpoint.

"Give me back my bloody compass!"

"Darlin', I was just borrowing it," Barbossa lied, he had his own gun pointed at his temple.

"Give it back or you die. Take your pick." She cocked the gun.

"Here," he almost threw it at her as he answered her.

"Take my things again and you'll be down in Davy Jones's locker," she threatened before shivering. She hadn't realized how cold it had become. It could have also been the fact that she didn't have her dress on anymore. And that was when she realized the entire crew, including Will, was staring at her almost non-existent clothing. "I'll be retiring to my cabin now," she told them. She had never been embarrassed before, and she wasn't now. She was just tired and cold and her head throbbed. She needed to be away from Barbossa before she actually killed him. Which she was probably going to do just to save her sanity.


	14. A Limbo, of Sorts

A/N: Okay, I'm not so sure what's going to happen next, so it may be a while before I post again...or maybe not. I don't know. I'm sorry if you guys don't like the story anymore. I hope you keep reading it.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 14

Maybe Jack _was_ dead. He didn't feel dead though. What did being dead _feel _like? He knew dead people surrounded him, so maybe he was dead, too. _And _there was no rum. None what…so…ever. Jack did not like the afterlife.

"Where am I?" He said looking at his former, mutinous crewmember.

"The Dead Shores."

"Pardon?"

" A limbo of sorts. And you, Jack Sparrow, will be stuck here for all eternity."

"Eternity? That really doesn't sound like anything I want to be apart of."

"Jack Sparrow owed his soul to Davy Jones," said one.

"Owes," Jack turned to him. "Not past tense, savvy?"

"Jack Sparrow's soul has joined ours," someone said.

"One hundred years before the mast," they all began to chant. This was not the same crew that Jack used to know. They had definitely all changed. There used to be a light in their eyes, but now it was just a dull stare. Each and everyone looked exactly the same now. These bodies had none of their original personality. It made Jack feel even more unusual.

Jack looked at the crowd of men before him and ran in the opposite direction, but no matter how fast or how hard he ran, he was getting nowhere.

"It's no use, Sparrow," someone said behind him. "Once you're at Dead Shores, the only way out is through _him_," the man finished. Jack followed the man's pointing hand out to the horizon: the _Flying Dutchman_. Jack could clearly make out the teeth on the front of the ship.

But before he could look any more, Jack was on deck of said wicked ship.

"Jack Sparrow, we meet again," Jones said in his deep brogue.

"Ah," Jack said, looking for an escape and finding none. "So we do," he said, then finishing with what he thought to be his most charming smile.

"Where is my heart?"

"That…Mr.…what's his name…the one that smelled funny…Norrington, Norrington, that's the one. He took it. I assumed you had gotten it from him." Jack said, leaning on the railing but only for a moment though. Suddenly, Jones reached out with his clawed hand and took Jack by the neck.

"You have it. You're lying."

"When have I ever lied to you. I most certainly do not have your heart."

"Will, if you don't have it, you must find it. Here's out new deal, Mr. Sparrow—…"

"Captain," Jack said through clenched teeth and a restricted windpipe.

Ignoring the comment, Jones continued, "you get the heart back, you can be released into death."

"I'd actually like to remain al—…"

"No. Either you stay as a crewmember on the _Dutchman_ or you get the heart back and I let you die, savvy?"

"Savvy."

Jones threw Jack back on the deck while the crew laughed.

"Throw him back on shore!"

"How am I supposed to get the heart back then?"

"You'll figure something out, after all, you're _Captain Jack Sparrow_," Jones laughed as Jack was sent back to the shore.


	15. Land on the Horizon

A/N: Okay, so will continue to write the story as long as people continue reviewing. Thanks to everyone who has.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 15

I spent the next days stomping around the deck telling people what to do. I had started to get my old personality back. Perhaps I was a bit domineering.

"Somebody come and swab the deck!" I shouted as I noticed the mud today. "How did we get mud on the railings, too?" Someone mumbled something that sounded like 'wench' but I continued pacing. We had been sailing for almost two weeks, how could we get mud on the ship?

I felt wrong. I knew something _was_ wrong. What made matters worse is that we were, apparently, heading straight for Dead Shores. I didn't like the idea of it, but I would do anything for Jack. _Anything._

"Can I ask you for a favor?" Will asked, surprising me out of my thoughts. I didn't even realize that he had come up next to me.

"Maybe," I told him.

"Could I borrow the compass?" he asked quickly.

"Ah," I said. "I wondered when one of you would ask."

"Does it really work?"

"I suppose it does."

"Lord Beckett sent me after Jack's, in return for Jack becoming a privateer for the royal navy."

"I don't suppose he took to kindly to that. What would Beckett want with the compass?"

"The same things as Jack, the heart of Davy Jones."

I untied the compass from my belt and handed it to Will. He eyed it curiously, obviously never getting too close to Jack's.

"It won't bite," I joked with him. He once again blushed at me, being that he hadn't gotten over seeing me in my underclothes.

He opened it and watched the needle spin. I watched as his eyes grew wide and he snapped it shut. He handed it back to me, but couldn't meet my gaze.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"No, nothing's wrong. It said what I thought it would. Thank you," he said, still talking to his feet.

"If you need to talk to me later, I'll be around, of course," I smiled. I didn't know what else to say. Jack was never shy about what he had on his mind. Jack could tell me anything and everything.

"Of course," he said before walking away.

"Miss Dani!" Gibbs yelled for me as soon as Will was gone.

"Yes, Mr. Gibbs?" I answered as I met him at the helm.

"Land," was all he said as he pointed out to a dark, thin line across the horizon.

"Good, thank you."

"If that is really Dead Shores, we shouldn't be going anywhere near it."

"Jack might be there. If he is, we need to get him back, savvy?"

"Aye," Gibbs answered me before he started giving out orders to the crew, leaving me at the wheel.

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A/N: Please read and review. All suggestions are welcome!

thomthom


	16. Reunion

A/N: I was going to drive everyone crazy and do this chapter in two seperate chapter sections, but decided they went together better. As always, read and review. All suggestions are easy, and NinaSky: I put the POV in for you.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 16

**Part One **

Jack decided to walk down the beach, while forming a plan. He looked ahead and saw a dark wood mast with old, worn black sails washed up on shore. He walked to it and inspected the worn wood. It was definitely the mast of his beloved ship. He looked around him, looking more carefully at the smaller pieces.

He recognized a windowpane here and a railing there. Apparently this was also a graveyard for ships. As Jack sorted through the now-driftwood, a plan began to form in his head. '_Perhaps I could rebuild the _Pearl' and smile spread across his lips.

Jack started to haul pieces out of the water and up onto the shore. Planks of wood floor and windowpanes, the mast and the railings. He even found the cells from the brig. Everything came back to the shore. Even Jack thought this was a tad far-fetched, but he started to group things together anyway.

By the end of the day, Jack had started to assemble his cabin, but it was extremely hard to put together because he had no tools. Jack almost wished he had done a better job of stocking the ship with tools, but knew the rum was always a better cargo. And besides, who was going to use the tools if they were loaded anyway?

He exhausted himself. He lay on his back in the blinding sun. Jack was fairly certain he had found all the pieces, but looked at it like a giant jigsaw puzzle. And he was never good at puzzles. He could use a hand putting it back together.

Even though he was tired, he stood up and joined the other men.

"I could use some help," Jack said.

"It's no use, mate," one man said.

"Of course there is. We can get away from this bloody place," Jack said, trying to grab the man's shoulder, but his hand fell right through it. "That's odd." He looked confused as the man turned around.

"We cannot leave Dead Shores. We wait for our souls to be taken aboard the _Flying Dutchman_."

"Then why am _I_…solid?"

"Because Jones must not be finished with you yet."

At the same time the man had said this, another pointed out to the water. "A ship, a ship…" the men started to chant over and over again. Jack, however, wasn't impressed, and sauntered back over the pieces of the _Pearl_.

Over the course of the day, the ship sailed closer and closer. Jack looked up every once in a while, hoping that it wasn't the _Dutchman._

He then saw some long boats start to row towards the shore. "That's probably not a good idea, mates," Jack whispered out loud, not ever stopping to think that this could ever be what he was waiting for. He went back to searching through the wreckage, not caring what was coming towards him.

**Part Two **(Dani's POV)

We were only yards from shore. I could see a man sitting in a pile of driftwood and couldn't help but think he was crazy. He was fiddling with the wood, like he had sat in the hot sun too long. But the man was familiar to me. There was something I recognized about the way he sat there and looked around him. The way he sort of looked like he was talking to himself.

As we rowed closer, I noticed the man was wearing a red bandana. Almost like the one I made Jack. Almost exactly like that one.

"Row faster!" I ordered. I need to get to the shore. Pintel sped up, but it still wasn't fast enough, so I grabbed the oar from him. Will seemed to notice as well and took the other oar from Ragetti. We started to row as fast and hard as we could, which wasn't much because I was a very poor rower.

The water was still about two feet deep as I climbed from the boat. The man still paid no attention to us as we approached. Maybe it wasn't Jack.

Elizabeth, Will, and I stood dripping on the sand. The man finally looked up and straight at me. I could see the recognition in his eyes, but then it flickered away just as quickly as it came.

"So, you all came to haunt me?" Jack said.

"Jack, no one came to haunt you," I said sadly.

"Yes, Jack, we are really here." Elizabeth added.

"So, you're not dead?" Jack said, standing up. I stepped towards him and he began to circle me, looking up and down. He poked my shoulder and then pinched my arm.

"Ow!" I screamed, and then slapped him in the face, lightly.

"I probably deserved that one. So I'm not dreaming?" He asked as he rubbed his cheek.

"Jack!" I screamed again; I was exasperated. I decided: to Hell with whoever's watching. I was going to kiss him. I grabbed him by one of his belts and pressed my lips to his.

He pulled back a few seconds later, but only to rest his forehead on mine. "You taste like rum, just like you used to." He smiled at me with that overly confident grin. I had found him.


	17. Surprise!

A/N: Here's Chapter 17, I thought I had it, so why not post it? Read and review as always. And thanks to all my very, very loyal reviewers, you all know who you are. Chapter 18, and hopefully 19, will be up tomorrow.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 17

Jack stepped back from her and looked at her again. She was thinner than he remembered, but her skin was just as fair and her eyes just as blue. She always used to refer to herself as average, but he thought she was beautiful but couldn't recall if he ever told her.

"Jack, it's going to get dark soon," Will interrupted. "We should get back to the ship."

"Lovely for you to visit. Come back anytime," Jack finished and walked away.

"Jack, that isn't funny and it is certainly not like you."

"The sea isn't safe for me anymore. Too many beasties."

"Get in the damn boat!" She cried, looking extremely close to drawing her sword. Dani was throwing a temper-tantrum and she didn't care who saw it.

Jack never, ever listened to anyone else but himself. Never. So why did he then look to her, then Will and Elizabeth and walk to the boat?

"It's Cap'n Jack, hisself! We thought yous was dead," Ragetti smiled, his wooden eye rolling in the socket.

"Have a seat, Cap'n!" Pintel yelled and cleared a seat for him.

Jack adjusted his coat and took a seat.

"I don't know why that worked," Dani told Will and Elizabeth.

"Jack has never done that before."

"No one has ever talked to him that way before."

"That's because that right is solely reserved for me."

The three walked to the long boat and climbed in. They balanced themselves and Pintel and Ragetti began to row. Jack sat in silence as the ship got bigger and bigger in front of them. And all her looked at was Dani.

"You're making me nervous."

"I'm sorry, Dani, it's just I haven't seen you in a while." He said, which was a lie. He saw her in his dreams, when he did dream.

"Jack Sparrow, something is wrong. And I expect you to talk to me."

"Nothing is wrong, Danielle. So how have you been, Mr. Turner, Miss Swann? Or are you an unhappily married couple now?"

They reached the ship and Mr. Gibbs helped Elizabeth up out of the long boat. One by one, the rest climbed over the railing. A small smile crossed Jack's lips as he looked around the deck. This ship was from the bayou. Tia Dalma must have helped them.

"There's something I ought –…" Dani started.

"Jack Sparrow." Barbossa snarled. "Still alive?"

"So are you, so it seems." Jack said before turning to Dani. "You married Barbossa?" He looked furious. "I thought I knew you."

She slapped him again, hard this time. His head shot to the side and his hand immediately went to his cheek, which was currently throbbing. Dani appeared to growl and she stomped off to her cabin, slamming the door, shattering glass and making them all jump.

"I thought you had a 'tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature,'" Elizabeth said, looking at him with extreme disgust.


	18. La La La

A/N: Here's 18! I hope you all like it. Please read and review. Much thanks. And if I don't get any reviews, this is my last chapter. I would appreciate some feedback people...

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 18

Jack stared Elizabeth down. "I am _not_ speaking to you. And this is none of your business."

"Jack, this isn't the time…"

"No!" He screamed, pointing at her. "She chained me to the _Pearl_ and let me be eaten by the beastie without a second thought. She even told me she wasn't sorry."

"You had to do something right."

"I'm not listening. La la la." He covered his ears.

"Oh, shut up," Elizabeth sighed.

"Get off the ship. There I am doing something right. It'll make this a better place to sail without you!"

"Well, if it weren't for us, you'd be dead with no boat."

"Ship!" he shouted.

"Sorry, ship."

"At least you're speaking," Will said as Jack stalked off after Danielle.

"Danielle Marie Reese!" He screamed when he got outside her door.

She looked at him through the shattered remnants of the window.

"You can stand out there all day and I won't care!" She shouted.

"You came all the way to Dead Shores to find me, kiss me, slap me and then lock yourself _alone_ in the cabin?"

"How could you even think that I would _ever_ sleep with Hector Barbossa, let alone marry him? Why do you always have to jump to bloody conclusions, Sparrow?"

"Because that man left me on a deserted island while he was threatening to keep you all to himself!" He shouted as he kicked the door open. It wasn't all that hard to do, it was an old boat with even older locks.

"Well, I escaped, Jack! I jumped ship and swam to Port Royal. I've been living there for thirteen years!" Dani yelled in his face.

A small crowd of the crew had gathered down the hall to listen to the argument. All of them wanting to see if they could get a little more personal information on either one of them.

"You'd think they'd both be happier to see one another," Will said to Gibbs, who was on his way down to the hold for more rum.

"They always used to argue like that. Give them another half hour," he smiled and slapped Will lightly on the back. "Come one, there's work to be done," he called to them and ushered them with his hands. The small group dispersed to their places, leaving Jack and Dani to their loud discussion. Will didn't want to leave, for fear one would get hurt, but he couldn't decide whom to protect, so he left as well.

"You're wearing a dress," Jack told Dani.

"Your powers of spotting the complete obvious never cease to amaze me, Jack Sparrow."

"You never used to wear a dress. I think I like it," he said as he felt the fabric then moved his hand to her waist. The dress was black with cream-colored lace. His fingers felt the boning and a small sigh escaped his lips. She didn't need this. "A corset?" He added as he slipped his arms around her. "Remember Singapore?"

"How could I forget?" she smiled up at him.

"We saw and learned all sorts of things."

"Like how to get out of a corset quickly."

"Exactly," he mumbled as her lips were pressed against his.

It was a couple of hours later before the two emerged on the deck. Jack was wearing the same clothes as before, but Dani had switched to trousers. Her hair was out of the tight bun, and Jack smiled at her, clearly happy that things were back to normal.

It was dark and lanterns were lit all over the ship. The water was black and reflected the sky full of stars. Both Dani and Jack were in good spirits walking around the ship until they came across Barbossa, who was by himself at the railing.

"We need to talk," Barbossa said as he held Jack as sword point.

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A/N: I know Jack's out of character. But maybe he was different before he was marooned on the island and Dani's bringing it back out in him. Thanks!


	19. Where Lies the Heart?

A/N: As I promised, 19. However, it's probably going to be the last chapter. I'm not sure. I need people to continue to review because I need to know someone out there is enjoying it. Thanks to those who have been loyal.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 19

"What is it that you and I need to discuss, Barbossa?" Jack calmly asked while sliding the blade away with his finger. "Other than your current existence. Because I am very busy getting reacquainted with Dani."

"I think the whole ship knew that," he said, looking her up and down. "The business of Davy Jones' heart brings us together once again."

"I thought Tia Dalma brought you back to life to help us find Jack."

"She was all part of the plan."

Jack stepped forward, in front of Dani. "You're in with Jones."

"Quick, everyone, ol' Jack got it. Would you like some applause?"

"What do _you_ need the heart for?"

"Jones has granted me immortality if I can bring the heart back to him. Immortality that doesn't involve losing all my senses or turning into a skeleton in the moonlight."

"Well…" Jack thought. "We'll get Jones' heart back, mate."

"You were always a coward, Jack. I've always liked that about you," Barbossa told Jack and the crowd that had gathered. He looked around then stalked off to the bow of the ship.

In a cabin later, Elizabeth, Will, Jack and Dani discussed their options.

"Do you even know where to look, Jack?" Dani asked.

"Norrington."

"What does he have to do with anything?"

"He stole the chest to save us. But now as I look back, it probably wasn't."

"It could still be on Isla Cruces."

"But wouldn't they have found the heart there? All of his men were there. And they had taken off after James." Elizabeth asked.

"Most likely, but wouldn't they have killed _Norrington_ as well?" asked Will, who frowned at her use of the former-commodore's first name.

"He's not dead, though," Dani finally spoke up. "I just made all of the Commodores coats and one for Beckett."

"They must have the heart," Jack told them.

"What would they need Jones' heart for?"

"Whoever has that heart controls the sea. And that is why Jones is so desperate to get it back. We need it the most, though."

"So what's our plan?" Will asked.

"We need to steal the heart back from Beckett and the rest of the Royal Navy."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Elizabeth asked.

"You must have misunderstood me earlier. I am not speaking to you, savvy?" Jack said, turning to Dani.

"I should tell you something, Jack."

"Yes, love?"

"Mr. Norrington asked me to marry him."

"What!" Elizabeth and Jack yelled at the same time.

"Why?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know, " Dani answered. She really didn't know why he asked her to marry him, but was more than a little angry at the disbelief in both Jack and Elizabeth's eyes. "You don't believe me?" She said to Elizabeth.

"I just find it a little hard to believe that James chose you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Jack stood up, enraged.

"She's a pirate!"

"You're a pirate, as much as she is!" But then Jack stopped. He turned away for a moment before giving Will instructions. "Tell Gibbs to set us on course for Port Royal."

"Do you have a plan Jack?"

"Of course I do. I know exactly how we are going to get Jones' heart back." He said, looking straight at Danielle. "But you're probably not going to like it, love."


	20. Persuasion

A/N: Okay, Chapter 20 is up, too. Maybe I'll work on 21, don't know though. Thanks Terra21 and JeanieBeanie33 for reviewing. As always: read and review. Much thanks

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 20

The crew set sail for Port Royal. It was going to take about two weeks to get there. Jack didn't tell anyone that was floating around his head. He had grown silent and thoughtful over the course of the days.

It wasn't until land was in sight that he spoke to Danielle about his plan.

"I'm going to turn myself in as a trade. William can take the heart to Barbossa and Jones. Then someone can free me from prison, providing I don't get executed right away."

Dani shuddered at the thought. "I cannot and will not let you do such a thing, Jack."

"I will not let any other harm come to you, Dani. I've done a poor job of protecting you until now."

"Jack, this is so unlike you. You were never supposed to protect me."

"Do you have any ideas then, even though we're not going to use them?"

"I will go to Norrington and _persuade _him to help me. To leave me alone with it or to tell me where it is. But it should be me, no matter what."

"Danielle, no. No, no, no. There is no way I am going to let you do that. He hasn't _touched_ you, has he? Because I'll cut his hands off. Where did he touch you?" Jack locked eyes with her to see if she was lying.

"Jack! He didn't touch me. Please, I have to do this. There is no way you can safely enter, let alone exit, Port Royal. I have to do this."

They got closer and closer to port and Danielle got in a long boat. She rowed to the dock and the guard helped her out.

"Miss Danielle, Mr. Norrington had been wonderin' where you had gotten to. He'll be so relieved to see you back."

"Thank you."

She turned around and looked out and could see Jack in the crow's nest of the ship, still out in the deep water. She wished that he couldn't see her right now. Dani was so ashamed that she had given up her pirating. She felt even more awful than she had thirteen years ago when she had arrived on these shores.

Danielle made her way back to her small flat. A guard had been posted at the door, to notify Norrington the second Danielle had returned home.

"Miss Danielle, we 'ad been worried about you. What with all the pirates about these days. Shall I go get Commodore Norrington?"

"He's Commodore again?"

"Yes, milady."

"Then yes, please tell him that I have returned home safely and would like to meet with him later, if you would be so kind. I should be cleaned up and read in about forty-five minutes. Only return if he cannot meet with me."

"I'm sure that will be fine, ma'am. I will do as you wish." The guard said before bowing and heading back to the fort.

Dani shut the door to her flat and sighed. It was going to take a lot of convincing to get this heart from Norrington. And she didn't dislike Norrington, she didn't want to hurt him. He just was always choosing the wrong woman. Always. He was going to get his heart broken again. She went to her room to start to freshen up.

Dani pulled her hair into a loose bun on the top of her head, some hair falling in small curls around her face. She then chose her best red dress and laced herself up. She couldn't breathe. She didn't know if it was because the dress was small or because she was so nervous, but she smiled at herself in the mirror and tried to tell herself that everything was going to be okay.

Out on the ship, Jack paced. He walked from one end of the ship to the other, mumbling to himself. Barbossa sat back and watched as the man in front of him, looking crazier than ever.

"Will you stop it, Sparrow? What do you think is going to happen? Do you suppose she's going to sleep with him?"

"Quiet, you. I'm trying not to think about that."

"Jack, calm down. She'll be fine. You can trust her," Will said to him, putting a comforting arm around his shoulder.

"I didn't want to put her in any danger."

"The only way she'll be in danger is if you go into Port Royal. She'll be fine."

"I just don't like the thought of her _persuading_ him. I've seen her persuasion techniques, mate. How do you think she got on my ship in the first place?" A smile crept across his lips. "Because I'm a kind, generous soul? I think not."

"I wonder why she didn't try anything with me. She just decided to jump ship."

"Would you want to sleep with you?" Jack asked him and in return got a very dirty look.


	21. After the Heart

A/N: Okay, I got it up before I went to work. Please read and review. Tell me how you really feel. Much thanks.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 21

Dani made her way to the fort in the cool night air. She shivered against the wind that had started to pick up. She didn't want to do this. She wasn't sure what was going to happen. Dani really hoped that she wasn't going to have to…sleep with him. She hoped her plan worked. She must remember to thank Tia Dalma for what she was about to use.

She knocked on the door and Cutler Beckett answered.

"Ah, Miss Meyer, we wondered where you had gotten to."

"Lord Beckett, pleasure to see you again," she smiled as she curtsied.

He placed his finger under her chin and moved her face up to meet his eyes. "Do let me know if I can do anything for you in the future."

"Yes, sire." She smiled again as she tried to keep herself from being sick. Beckett looked her up and down as he ushered her into Norrington's office, smiling as his eyes hit her chest, then excusing himself.

"Danielle Meyer! We were so worried about you." James Norrington told her. "Please take a seat." He told her as he pulled out a chair.

"Thank you. I apologize for my sudden departure. I got word that one of my cousins on the other side of the island was sick, so I went to take care of her."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Would you like something to drink?"

"Anything would be fine."

"Here you go," he said as he handed her a glass of wine. She took a sip and almost spit it out, she was used to rum. "Is something wrong? You seem _different_."

"I'm fine. It's just my cousin's illness made me think of my own mortality."

"That's very sad. Such a beautiful woman shouldn't think of such things."

"What should they think of?"

""You have beauty, obviously brains, our future family would have the breeding. You should be thinking of the bounty we could create."

The room was quiet. He was thinking of a family with her. This was going to be impossible.

"Danielle?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Have you thought any more about my offer?"

"Well, with my cousin being so ill, I wanted to think it over completely, but have decided, yes, as long as we can get permission from my family in London."

"I'll send word immediately." He looked elated.

"A toast, then?" she suggested as he paced the office. She very quickly and carefully poured a powdered concoction into the drink he had set down. If it worked, he would be leading her to the heart in moments. And the best part would be that he wouldn't remember a thing.

"A toast! To us!" He picked up his glass and tapped it against hers. She took a sip and he followed suit.

He leaned in for a kiss that she had no other way to deal with than to kiss him back. It wasn't like the passionate, warm kisses she shared with Jack. It was wet and sloppy. There was no way she could spend the rest of her life doing this.

When James pulled back, his eyes had glazed over and he smiled at her goofily.

"James?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Where is the heart?"

"In your chest, love." He went to point at her heart but ended up staring at her bosom.

"No, not my heart. Davy Jones' heart."

"Oh, that's in Beckett's office."

"Thank you, James." She smiled. She sat him in his chair and put his head down on the desk. "I hope you know I'm very sorry," she said before she left the room.

Danielle crept slowly down the hall. That wasn't so easy because of the sound her shoes made on the floor. She found Beckett's office and opened the door. And to her surprise, he was sitting at his desk.

"Lord Beckett…I…"

"Came to find me?"

"Yes. Actually. I thought I might take you up on your offer."

Beckett smiled at her. He was in no way in love with her. He was just attracted to her. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to taste her. She smiled at him and he stood up from his desk. He walked over to her and put his hand on her corseted waist and another on her chest. He leaned in to kiss her and she gave in. She was going to need a lot of alcohol to forget tonight.

Jack would murder her. Jack would murder him, too. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine it was Jack.

She opened her eyes and saw someone at the window. It was Jack. While she was keeping Beckett busy, Jack climbed silently into the room. His eyes were filled with rage as he knocked Beckett out with the back end of his sword.

"See, you did need to be rescued."

"I was doing just fine."

"While his tongue was in your mouth or were you waiting for his hand to go up your skirt?"

"Jack, just help me to find the --…"

Jack opened the box on Beckett's desk and the room was filled with the sounds of a heartbeat.

"There's the thump-thump," Jack grinned.


	22. A lie, a Cloak and a Sword

A/N: Okay, I hope this chapter makes people happy, too. In between serving people their popcorn and cleaning the kettle, I wrote most of this. The bonus of working at the movie theater: I saw Pirates 2 twice, for free! Okay, I'm going back to see a movie, but couldn't wait any longer to post this chapter. Much thanks for the many, many reviews the last chapter got, and for all the ones that the other chapters receieved in the past week or so.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 22

"We're going to have to go out through the window."

"Why?"

"Because Norrington might be coming out of his, er, state."

"What did you do to him?"

"I might have drugged him."

"Okay," a plan was forming in Jack's mind. "Go take him some water. Go wake him up."

"What? Why? We could escape right now."

"That wouldn't explain why they were both unconscious."

"Oh, right. I could wake him up and claim to want to tell Beckett the good news."

"What good news?"

"That James and I are engaged," she said while trying not to laugh.

"What!" He whispered and screamed all at once.

"Go, take the heart and get out. I'll be along as soon as possible. And get some rum ready. I'm going to need it," she smiled at him.

"You're not in love with him, are you?" The question shocked Dani. Never had he even remotely mentioned the word 'love'.

"No."

Jack searched her eyes. They had never discussed it, they just knew. It went without saying. He could see just a hint of tears forming in the corners of her eyes. He could tell that she was giving him the truth.

"Jack, you need to leave before either one of them wakes up. We'll both be executed on sight."

"I'll see you on the ship. If you're not back within the hour, William and I are coming after you."

"I'll be fine."

Jack was halfway out the window when he turned back and did something very uncharacteristic of himself. "I love you," was all he said as he escaped into the black night.

Dani left Beckett in a heap on the floor and walked quietly back into Norrington's office. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder to wake him up.

"James, are you all right?" Dani asked.

"I must have dozed off. It was quite restful."

"Do you suppose we should let Lord Beckett join in the celebrations?"

"Of course," he said, standing up. He wobbled for a second, then continued, "We should do it now." Norrington took her by the arm and led her to Beckett's office. She feigned surprise that he was out cold on the floor.

"He needs medical attention. He looks as though he's fainted," Dani told James. "You stay here and I shall alert a doctor." She continued and rushed out of the office, leaving a very confused commodore and an unconscious Lord Beckett.

She stopped a guard and gave him all the instructions. She told him she was going home because she was tired. And she did go back to her flat. She had to get a sword and her cloak to cover it.

And apparently, Beckett had woken while she was at the flat. Guards were running madly through the streets, waking everyone…they were looking for her. She ran, as fast as she could, to the dock. But she was stopped by Beckett and Norrington at the end of it.

"You, my dear, almost got away with it," Beckett sneered.

"With what? Might I ask?" I was trying to be clever and coming up short.

"You seduced me to take the heart."

"I don't know of what you speak of."

"I must ask you to take off your cloak."

She did as he asked and revealed her sword in the process. She drew it. She was going to have to fight her way back to the ship. Both men, simultaneously, followed suit.

"I don't want to have to kill such a beautiful woman, but I'll do what I must."

"Why did you lie to me?" James asked her, the hurt in his voice was evident.

"I didn't lie. If I were really Danielle Meyer, I would marry you."

Beckett swung his sword at her and Dani deflected. She'd been in enough sword fights to know how to handle herself.

The men, clashing swords every couple of seconds, surrounded Dani.

"How did you learn how to use a sword?" Norrington asked as she deflected another one of his swings. Beckett tried to swing at her again, but she pushed him back with her high-heeled foot.

"Pirate," she smiled as she took another of their swings in stride. Dani revealed the sparrow tattoo on her shoulder, just under her dress and laughed.

"Sparrow," was all Beckett could say.

He lunged for her again and managed to hit her. He sliced right through the boning in the back of the dress into her back. Dani was bleed, badly, but she continued to fight. She was not one to give up.

Dani forced them back on the dock, back towards the fort, giving her enough room to jump into the dark, cold water at the end. The men watched her do this, and stared with confused expressions on their faces.

"She'll drown, we can't leave her."

"Let her die," Beckett told Norrington. "Let Davy Jones deal with her now."

The men retreated to the fort. If she had the heart, Davy Jones would get it back, but it stood to reason that she was working with someone. A Jack Sparrow someone. And he would be back to avenge her death. And Beckett and the rest of the Royal Navy would be ready.

Dani, on the other hand, was having a Hell of a time trying to swim in her dress. There was just so much of it. And the wet fabric was weighing her down. That's why she preferred trousers: less bulk. She had lost her sword, because that was weighing her down as well. And her back was killing her, but she was hoping the cold water would stop it. However, the salt water was almost making it worse, if that was at all possible.

She was within ten feet of the ship when she was spotted. Jack lowered the rope and she shakily climbed.

Elizabeth ran to get a blanket and Gibbs ran for rum, both in an attempt to warm her.

"Did you get the heart?" Barbossa asked her.

She looked to Jack who was mouthing 'no' and shaking his head back and forth. Barbossa's gaze followed hers, but she started quickly, "I fought for it, but Beckett still has it."

"Can't let women to anything, except be 'pleasurable company'."

Dani sent him a dirty look before screaming in pain. Someone had touched her back. She didn't know or care who had done it, all she wanted was for them to stop. Apparently, in the rush to get her out of the water, no one noticed that she had a eight inch long gash across her back.

"Oh my goodness, we need to take care of that." Elizabeth hurried to her, as soon as she saw it. "Come with me, I'll take care of it." Elizabeth let Dani use her as a make-shift crutch and walked her slowly to her cabin.

"I'm going to have to go into the fort, and do this myself, aren't I, Sparrow?"

"I guess you are, Barbossa. Why don't you get right on that?" Jack said before following the two women.


	23. A Shot Rang Out

A/N: Okay, it's really late and I kind of pulled this out of nowhere. I worked all day and wrote part of this there. However, the theater isn't always the most conducive place to write. If it doesn't make any sense and is totally random, I apologize in advance. I just wanted another long chapter. And I wanted something important to happen. There's the author's note.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 23

Jack hid the heart in Dani's dresses and hoped it wouldn't be found. Hell, even Dani didn't go there, so he was pretty sure it was safe. And the thick fabric muffled the sound of it beating, which when left out echoed through a cabin.

Danielle insisted that her back was fine. Every time Jack tried to talk to her about it, she changed the subject. However, he knew her better. He could see her wince in pain as she did her normal chores on deck the next morning. Elizabeth and Will tried to convince her as well, but Dani wasn't having it. She just continued about her business, refusing to let herself rest.

Barbossa, on the other hand, was busy making plans to break into the fort. He was going that night. He would slip in, kill whoever got in his way and take the heart. Then he'd kill Sparrow once and for all and take Danielle for himself. He had no doubt in his mind that he could pull this off. He had fooled Sparrow before and now he would do it again, along with the whole Royal Navy.

So, around midnight, Barbossa headed out for the fort. He snuck quietly along the wall to a side entrance. He crept behind the one guard at the door and killed him with one jab of his sword.

Barbossa walked into the fort, smirking at what he thought was a job well done, but immediately had ten guards surrounding him. He had been completely silent, where did these men come from? He fought them, doing well at times, but was no match for the Royal Navy guards. He knew they couldn't swim, but apparently they could sword fight…and shoot. Someone, no knowing which guard, shot him and he hit the ground hard.

The bullet went through his chest and out of his back. He didn't even have a chance to make another pact with Davy Jones. Nothing could save him now and he knew exactly where he was going. He was never going to taste another apple or know what immortality, without a curse, was like. And without another second passing, he was dead.

Becket walked out of his office and over to Barbossa's body. "You got the wrong man, but I applaud you all because you did, indeed, hit a pirate. A wanted one at that. Congratulations. But you didn't get the one I wanted!" He yelled at them and sulked back into his office.

Back on the ship, Jack was readying everyone to leave port. They were going to leave Barbossa; on the count that they didn't know he was dead. Guards would start looking for ships soon and they would be under attack. Dani joined him at the helm.

"Jack, he'll find us and it'll be worse."

"I'll take my chances, love," Jack told her as he steered the ship out of port. "We've got work to do."

"Won't Jones know you have the heart?"

"You have the heart?" Will interrupted, as he came out onto the dark deck. The lanterns had been extinguished in order to hide them a little better.

"As a matter of fact, I do. It, sort of, slipped my mind when Barbossa asked, I guess. Yeah, that's right."

"I'm not sure if I should be happy for us or appalled. I mean that you let him go into a fort full of angry guards and navy officials."

"I got very tired of his attitude and his face and all of his threats towards Dani and myself. He was probably going to switch to your Elizabeth over there," he knew he had hit a nerve in Will. Any mention of a threat towards Elizabeth and Will was there to take care of it. "I'm sure it was for the best. I'm good with it," Jack smiled.

"Well, since you put it that way…" Will grinned. He really couldn't argue with that. He never liked Barbossa either. After all, he did kill his father.

"Pirates," Dani muttered under her breath.

"Shall we celebrate?" Jack asked as they made their way out to sea. He had Dani, whom he kissed on the cheek, the heart and a new jar of dirt, just to be safe. Nothing was in his way now.

"What are you going to do with it?" Will asked.

"I'm going to stab it."

"What if he sends the Kraken back after you?" Elizabeth asked.

"I outsmarted it once, didn't I? I can do it again." He told Elizabeth. They had since stopped fighting when Dani almost drowned. Nothing like a near drowning to bring people closer together.

"That isn't a very good idea," Dani told Jack. She got a very nasty look in return.

"I am the captain and what I say goes."

"So you want to put all these people in danger again?" She waved her arm around at the crew around the ship. She didn't know why she was pushing this, but she also wanted to know why he was waiting to do anything with the heart.

"There will be only a little bit of danger," he tried to joke, but only half-laughing himself. He looked over his shoulder just to be safe. "And the Kraken was called off already, otherwise I wouldn't be here, talking to you now. I've just got to find the time to complete the task."

"What do you mean 'find time to complete the task'? Jack, we're in the middle of the bloody ocean! What more could you ask for?"

"I want Jones to see me do it. I want to be there to save Bootstrap," Jack sad quietly. "Then I've done everything I promised when I was marooned. Then we can continue on with our life." Jack finished, looking straight into Danielle's eyes.

The entire ship was silent until dawn. Jack stayed on watch, with his jar of dirt, when everyone went to bed. He thought it would be best to let her have the bed, as she tended to kick him in her sleep and steal all the covers…and push him to the edge to the point that he was almost on the floor. Jack never really thought about it before. He always had his most contemplative moments about Dani early in the morning and late at night. He planned on spending the rest of his pirating life with her. He would marry her. There were going to be some very unhappy women in Tortuga…and every other pirate port in the Caribbean. He smiled. The only woman he wanted was Dani.

"What are you smiling about, Captain?" Dani said to him as she walked up the stairs. She was barefoot, standing in one of his shirts. His shirts were loose and therefore, hurt her back less.

"I wasn't smiling," he lied.

"Jack Sparrow, why were you smiling?" She asked again, after kissing him.

"I'll tell you later, love. Go back to bed. I'll be there soon, when Mr. Gibbs wakes up."

She kissed him once again, this time on the forehead, and then walked back down the stairs.

"I love you," she called back to him, and the smile spread even wider on Jack's face as they headed into the sunrise.

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La la la, I killed off Barbossa and I am darn proud of it! I hope I didn't offend any Barbossa fans. I'm sorry if I did. I was just running out of insults that Jack and he could trade. I was also so tired of typing his name. Oh well...off to bed.


	24. Mirage?

A/N: Here's the next installment of my version. I'm going to do a little more research before the next chapter so I'm not completely making stuff up. Thanks for all the reviews. I'm up to 5000 hits! Please keep reviewing. I have to go to work, but a bunch of reviews when I get home would be a great ending to my day!

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 24

The first three days were mostly just nerve-wracking. The weather was beautiful and the sea was clear. It was water in all directions, and it was exactly how Jack liked it. But with the clear weather, came doubt. They all knew that it couldn't stay this way. Jones would eventually find them. But Jack needed to find another someone before he was found himself.

So, two weeks later, when they happened to find an abandoned island, Jack decided to stop.

"Weigh anchor!" Jack called. Gibbs obediently did as he was told and the ship came to a stop a short while later.

"Jack, why are we stopping?" Will asked.

"Because we are going to talk to the reason Jones cut his heart out."

"But this is an empty island," Elizabeth told them even though it was entirely obvious.

"But this is her island."

"There's a palm tree, some sand, and thousands of miles of open ocean!" Will argued.

"And thus, makes it an island."

"That isn't what we're saying here, Jack. There _are_ no people."

"I think you should shut up and save your observations until we get to the shore."

The four of them climbed out into a long boat and rowed to the tiny island. It could only be about ten feet, from shore to shore. From the deck of their new ship, aptly named, _We Need More Rum for This_, they could see the entirety of the blasted "island".

(The ship was accidentally named when the four of them were discussing the future, while drinking. Jack, who hadn't ever really thought of marriage and children in a decade, blurted out, "Why don't we just name the bloody ship 'I need more rum for this' because this conversation requires more rum!" And the name just stuck.)

They reached the shore and everything changed. An endless white sand beach was a perfect contrast to the lush green jungle behind it. Tropical flowers grew everywhere. It was truly beautiful. And then there _they_ were there.

Sirens.

Two gorgeous women with white blond hair and violet eyes were on either side of them. They clung onto Jack and Will immediately, ignoring Elizabeth and Danielle completely. If looks could kill, Dani and Elizabeth would be the convicted murderers of their beloveds.

Jack brushed them off and looked one in the face. "I need to speak to your, er, leader, I suppose it would be."

They looked slightly offended for the brush off, so Jack decided to use Dani as a shield and pulled her in front of him. But they decided to call their leader anyway.

As they waited, Elizabeth whispered in Dani's ear. "Who are these women?"

"These are sirens. They lure unsuspecting sailors with their songs and beauty and then kill them. It seems only right that Davy Jones fell for the leader."

"Oh. What do they do to women sailors?"

"Compete," was all Dani said as another woman emerged from the jungle.

"Jack Sparrow, what is this about?" She almost yelled. She was beautiful. She was tall and thin and had the whitest hair anyone had ever seen. Her eyes were silver color that complimented her hair completely.

"I know exactly what you mean," Elizabeth told Dani as both stood staring.

"Well, we just wanted to see if you'd consider taking, um, Captain Jones back?" Jack asked, trying to look charming.

Immediately, the weather took a turn for the worse. It started to pour with rain and thunder clapped loudly above them.

"You have the audacity to ask such a thing? How dare you! I gave that man my whole heart and he was a philanderer."

"Funny you mention that," Will half-laughed.

"Yes, Jones seemed to have given his whole heart as well, and it sits on my ship, currently."

"He thinks that I cheated on him. He denies ever doing such a thing. I fell out of love with him the instant I found out. Sirens, such as I, know the matters of the heart."

"Well, maybe we ought to have a short chat," Dani told her, stepping forward with Elizabeth. Both women blinked against the almost blinding rain, but moved closer still. If the men weren't having any luck, maybe the women could.


	25. Drunkenness

A/N: Here's Chapter 25. I start my classes tomorrow, so I don't know how often I'll be able to post anymore. But I'll be writing longer chapters...as you can tell. Let me know what you think about this chapter. Thanks.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 25

The little chat that Dani suggested did not go so well. In fact, she chased the four of them off of the island. Peisinoe wanted nothing to do with Jones or four of them. She stuck to her ground and refused to give in. She would rather see his head on a stake than come within ten miles of him.

The other sirens tried to continue cling to Jack and Will, but they saw the gun in Dani's belt and immediately moved away.

They got back to the ship while the rain had subsided, but too soon realized they were running out of food…and rum.

"The rum is gone!" Jack shouted when his crew had removed the wax from their ears. He noticed his crew looked a bit dizzy and nauseous.

"Cap'n! Would you mind holding still?" Pintel shouted, but he was the one moving about.

"Drunk, the whole lot of them," Will said as he looked around.

"There's only one good place for drunk pirates: Tortuga," Dani smiled. She loved Tortuga. Or rather, she loved causing fights there, it was so easy.

"Set course for Tortuga!" Jack shouted. He thought the short side trip would be good for morale. The crew was angry for a second that he had shouted, but eventually the message got across and they slowly tried to do their duties. However, the crew started to slowly pass out, one-by-one and Dani, Jack, Will and Elizabeth took over.

Tortuga was a mess. Craziness surrounded them the second they left the ship. And the craziest thing was the women.

Jack had forgot about Scarlet and Giselle, the "company" he kept while on the island.

"Who is she?" Scarlet screamed as she walked towards the group, amid all the other people screaming.

"I am his fiancée," Dani answered.

"Fiancée? Fiancée!" Giselle shouted. "Jack Sparrow would never marry someone. Especially someone as ugly as you!"

"Now, now, calm down," Will tried, and failed miserably. He ended up getting smacked hard across the face. This angered Elizabeth who slapped Giselle right back. Of course, being that she liked to fight, Dani slapped (well, more like punched) Scarlet right in the jaw. Scarlet was knocked onto the ground and immediately started shrieking about her dress.

"You'll pay for that, you bloody wench!" Scarlet yelled as she stood up and faced Dani.

During this, Will and Jack had moved back, out of the way. They were content to watch the show. That is until all four women stopped at yelled, "Jack!"

He looked for an escape route and found none. Jack had no other way to go but into the fight.

"Stop, stop!" Jack put his hands up.

He was then attacked by Scarlet and Giselle. Will fought his way back into the fight and eventually the two women were detained.

"Sorry ladies, Captain Jack Sparrow is a taken man."

Jack received two more slaps before the women left in a huff and then still one more from Dani for good measure.

And despite the pain he felt in his cheek and jaw, he wandered the whole night with a huge grin on his face.

"You know, you didn't deserve a fist fight in your honor," Dani told him as they walked down a deserted street. She reached over and poked him in the ribs, causing him to laugh.

"I will always deserve a fist fight. But I usually like to be on the outside, not in the middle."

"I would assume so. I, on the other hand, prefer to be the cause."

"Let's go collect William and Elizabeth, where did they say they were going?"

She turned around and looked back at where they had been. "I thought they were right behind us."

"No. That was hours ago."

"Where did we part company?"

"Back at the Green Man."

"You left them alone at the Green Man?"

The Green Man was a notorious pirate pub and boarding house, with rooms available for rent by the hour. And the owners didn't care whom they rented the rooms to, as long as they got paid. An almost-perfect hideaway for a couple. The rooms were always dirty and they were only semi-romantic. You would never know who was listening.

"Bugger." Was Jack's only answer to her question. He knew only too well what it was like up in those rooms. Jack had many a drunken one-night stand in those rooms with nameless women. He pondered for a moment about why Dani would know as well, but thought better not to ask right now.

Both Jack and Dani took off in the direction that they had come from, back towards the countless number of drunk people that populated Tortuga.

Apparently, the other couple had decided to take advantage of their rum-soaked brains and the private room. After all, it had a solid door and a large bed.

Jack and Dani began to ask around for them. When the bartender pointed upstairs, both looked at each other and panicked.

"Didn't you warn them about the dangers in Tortuga? Especially the boarding houses here?"

"I can't really remember. All recall is rum."

"Bugger." Dani said as they headed up the stairs. She knew anything or anyone could be in those rooms. And she didn't want Elizabeth and Will to do anything stupid.

As it turns out, Elizabeth and Will didn't do anything stupid. Both had passed out on the bed in a heap in the roach infested room. Jack made faces, tongue sticking out with disgust, as they tried to wake the unconscious couple.

"We can't leave them here," Dani told Jack, who was heading out the door.

"Well, they won't wake up. We'll go sleep on the ship and come back for them in the morning."

"Jack, they could be medical experiments in the morning, knowing the people of Tortuga."

"What do you suggest then, love? Carry them back to the ship?"

"Yes."

"No. You can't lift Mr. Turner, let alone carry him all the way to the ship."

"I will carry Elizabeth and you carry Will."

"Can we get some more rum and then move them?"

"No. Pick him up and let's go, savvy?"

Jack nodded to the only person who has ever been able to order him around and obediently picked Will up. Dani did the same with Elizabeth and they started to walk down the narrow wooden staircase at the back of the building.

It is a good thing that no one asks questions in Tortuga. And no one asks questions of what happens while in Tortuga. It is like, what happens in Tortuga, stays there. Jack and Dani didn't really want to know why the couple had been in that room. Nor did they care. So they carried them from the city onto the _Rum_ and left them sleeping their drunkenness off in their cabin.

Jack and Dani retreated to their own cabin and prepared for bed.

"We start looking for Davy Jones tomorrow."

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So what did you think? Did it suck? I hope not. It was sort of useless drabble. I don't like Elizabeth. She's such a whiner. Okay. Off topic. Review please!


	26. Remembering and Waiting

A/N: Here's the next one. It's a little shorter than I was going for originally but decided I should do what I was going to do in a separate chapter. Hope this one is enjoyable. Next chapter posted tomorrow night. I promise. I'll post it right after I read Sorceror's Stone for my class.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 26

The next morning, or rather afternoon, Elizabeth and Will joined the rest of the crew on deck. Even though the whole ship was full of seasoned pirates, they could hear a distinct sniggering coming from all directions, but saw no one. Both Elizabeth and Will looked disoriented and disheveled in the early afternoon light. Elizabeth blinked into the sun as she went to Dani for answers.

"Do you know how we got back on the ship?"

"We brought you back," Dani answered her, never turning around. She was busy stitching up one of the sails. It had suffered significant damage in a windstorm earlier that week and no one had gotten around to fixing it.

"Where were we?"

"Tortuga."

"I know _that_. I mean, what happened?

"You drank too much rum and drunkenly stumbled into the wrong pub," Dani explained. "We found you and Will passed out upstairs in one of the boarding rooms."

Elizabeth looked mortified. Her faced first went white as a sheet, and then turned pink from embarrassment. "Did we…?"

"Didn't appear that way, unless someone came in and dressed you both. Which is entirely possible, but most assuredly, Jack and I did not do it ourselves."

"No more rum for me."

"That's what you say now," Dani laughed as she inspected her work. "You're going to need rum when and if we run into Davy Jones."

At the same time, Will had wandered up to Jack, who was standing with his compass at the wheel.

"Jack, I do not remember last night at all."

"Well, what happens there, stays there. It's probably for the best, mate."

"What happened?"

"You can't hold your rum, that's all," Jack told him and poked him in the chest. "You got too drunk and got Lizzie in a private room at the boarding house."

"What!" Will shouted causing the entire crew to turn around and look at him. "I mean, what?"

"But you, mate, being the gentleman that I am most certainly not, passed out fully clothed next to your bonny lass on the bed."

Will looked relieved. He wanted to remember such experiences with Elizabeth. He didn't think that if they had waited all that time, the first should be in a dirty pub boarding house. But he didn't want to tell Jack any of this. He didn't want Jack to know that they _were_ waiting. He knew full well that Jack and Dani were _together._ So, instead of waiting to hear what Jack was going to say next, as Jack had started to open his mouth, Will waved a quick good-bye and walked quickly down the stairs.

Later that evening, Dani sat across the table from Jack, watching him go over his maps.

"What _are_ you doing?" Dani asked as he took tiny steps across the map with his fingers.

"I'm trying to figure out where we will meet that bloody Jones."

"Don't you suppose that if you brought it out in the open, he would hear it beating?"

"I don't know," Jack said as he stopped his calculating and looked up at her. "But we could try it."

"Well, maybe we should wait until morning. When everyone'll be prepared."

He had been taking a swig of his rum, but spit it out all over her at the mention of preparedness. "My crew? Prepared? Surely you are joking, Ms. Reese."

"It was just a suggestion, you don't have to be such a bloody bastard about it," she said, drawing her sword for a tiny duel. She and Jack used to practice together all the time.

"You don't want to fight me, woman," Jack told her, looking stern.

"I wouldn't have drawn my sword if I didn't want to, Jack Sparrow."

"It's 'Captain' to you," he smiled. He stood up and drew his sword as well.

They started to clash swords back and forth in the small cabin, knocking over everything in the process. Dani's jewelry box was overturned and Jack's rum spilled all over the floor.

"No fair, you're playing dirty, spilling my rum…" Jack muttered.

"Pirate," she fired back at him.

Dani opened the door and backed out of it. She was enjoying this mock battle. She moved backwards up the short flight of stairs and Jack followed, almost slashing the sleeve off of her shirt when she tripped on the rise of the top step.

It was just dusk as they chased each other around the ship. The crew didn't know what was going on and Elizabeth panicked.

"They've turned on each other. See what the pirating lifestyle does to a relationship."

"I think we already knew that," Will joked, alluding to what had come between them.

"We need to stop this," Elizabeth said as she stood. "C'mon, Will." She pulled him by the sleeve.

"Stay back, girl," she was ordered by Dani. She didn't like being ordered around immediately.

"Banging away at each other will solve no problems. It causes more."

"And you will be wise to back off before your pretty little dress gets cut to shreds."

"Why are you fighting?" Elizabeth shouted. She always had to know _everything_.

"We are not fighting," Jack answered. "We are simply practicing, if you must know."

"There's a ship on the horizon!" Marty called down to the crew.

They all immediately stopped what they were doing and looked out. Just barely, was the outline of a ship on the horizon, maybe 5 miles away.

"Jack, is that…" Dani began to ask. The ship was gaining on them. It was getting bigger by the second.

Jack had his compass out and was staring attentively at it. The four of them gathered around it and watched. It pointed straight out towards the ship that was advancing through the water rather quickly.

"It's him," Jack informed the entire crew.

"What would you like us to do, Captain?" Gibbs asked, approaching the small group.

Jack turned around to face his oldest friend, "we wait."


	27. Ducks?

A/N: I lied. Here's the chapter I was going to work on tomorrow. Ta da! Let me know what you think.

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 27

"We wait?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Just wait for Jones to come and get us. We're sitting ducks!"

"You are wrong on two accounts…" Jack started.

"We are one, pirates, and…" Dani then continued.

"Two, standing up. We are standing up pirates with a plan, savvy?" Jack asked.

Will nodded in agreement even though he had no idea what Jack had in mind. "Well, what is it?"

"We wait for Jones to get close enough, and then I stab the heart."

"That's it?" Elizabeth, Will and Dani all asked.

"What do you lot mean, 'that's it?' What else is there to do? Negotiations didn't work, and neither did fighting. My ship went down to his locker because of us fighting."

"No, the _Pearl_ went down because the Kraken was after you."

"And you're the one who chained me to the ship."

"I thought we were past this…" Dani interrupted. The ship was now only within three miles. Within moments they would be there.

Jack looked out at the horizon again and immediately bolted down the stairs. Elizabeth was terrified that he was going to try to leave them again.

Will however, walked closer to Dani. "If we stab the heart and Jones dies, does that mean the crew are no longer indebted to him."

"I would assume so. If he isn't around, his crew would be free."

"Then we need to figure a way to get my father on our ship before Jack stabs the heart. I promised that I would be back to save him."

"That's extremely touching, Will, but we need to be saving our own skins right now. I understand that feeling of loss. My family is still in England. But right now, we are what we need to take care of, not the people on that bloody ship."

"I am not leaving with out my father."

"Then you will not be leaving," Dani said as she clasped an iron shackle around his wrist.

"Dani, you can't leave me chained down."

"I can do what I please. This way you stay on the ship. You cannot be running around the _Flying Dutchman_."

"Will! What are you doing, Danielle?" Elizabeth screamed, looking at the shackle.

"Elizabeth, go get Jack and tell him to bring the blasted key," Will said as he struggled against the cold metal. "You know I was a blacksmith, right?"

Dani nodded as an answer to his question and added, "and you know you have none of the tools of the trade currently with you."

"That's not fair," Will yelled at her. "You're using me as bait."

"I'm a pirate. And that's what pirates do best."

Jack came back onto the deck, no keys in hand.

"Where's Elizabeth?"

"Locked, for her safety in the cabin, below deck."

The ship was now clearly outlined, about a quarter of a mile away. The barnacle incrusted ship looked even more menacing than it did in the daytime.

The crew of the _Dutchman _would surround them in minutes. Maybe even in seconds. No one really knew how fast that ship could sail. The crew of _Rum_ had backed off in fear as the front of the two ships met.

Jack, Dani and Will were the last left on the main deck, everyone else had taken cover.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Jack Sparrow…and his betrothed. I believe everyone thought you were dead."

"I am clearly not," Dani answered him.

She was unlocking the shackle as they spoke. Will didn't know what was going on until she whispered in his ear while Jack was making some witty comments. "I'm going to offer you as bait onto the ship. He'll take you because that's just how he plays. You'll get five minutes, maximum to round up your father and get him on board, then I let Jack do what he must." Will made a silent agreement with her and faced Jones.

"Captain Jones, we have a wonderful gift, to go with your heart and our sincerest apologies," she said. She saw Jack make a face out of the corner of her eye, but continued anyway. "We would like to give you young Mr. Turner back."

Bootstrap Bill, who had grown another nasty carbuncle on his head, looked out at them immediately.

"What a wonderful, prize, isn't it Bootstrap?" Jones said, laughing back at his crewman. "So, you decided to choose death over working for me, Sparrow, I must say I am more than slightly disappointed. And then offering Mr. Turner, again, to me. What a way to leave this world. Bo'sun, bring him aboard!"

Will was on the deck of the _Flying Dutchman_ less than a minute later, standing next to his father.

"Which brings us to our next matter of business, Sparrow," Jones said, as one of his tentacles caressed Dani's face. "Give me the heart." He held out his tentacled hand to receive the package that was in Jack's hand. Jack reached out and handed it to him. Jones looked elated, well as elated as a squid could look, as he held the tiny leather pouch.

Jones was ready to open the bag when Jack started knocking things over on deck. Then, all of the sudden Jones started to wheeze and rock back and forth. The world was starting to spin for Jones and he could no longer keep his eyes open. It was too hard. Jones appeared to be having a heart attack, even though his heart wasn't in his chest.

"Sparrow…." Jones croaked as he struggled to get into the small pouch. What he found was a very mushy apple. "How…" he asked as he fell to the deck.

Will took his cue and swung back over to the deck of the _Rum _and his father followed suit. The men on the _Dutchman_ were too stunned watching the events unfold on the other ship. And without warning, huge waves started to rock the ships. Jack, Dani, Will and Bootstrap struggled to hold on as their ship was tossed, but their eyes never left the man that was dying before them. Suddenly, the _Dutchman_ ever so slowly started to sink. The whole ship was returning to the depths, the creatures on it going as well, never to be heard of as well. The man that was once the most feared pirate on the seven seas was now lying dead on their deck, from heartbreak.

Just as quickly as the waves started, they ceased. The sea was calm as it was previously. Jack and Will struggled to pick up the body of Jones, that had returned to full human, and tossed him over the railing. Making a cross over their hearts afterwards.

Will walked over to his newly-human father and embraced him, it had been something Will had wanted to do for a long time. And at the same time, Elizabeth brought an identical pouch up the stairs, some red liquid oozing from it.

"That's gets buried in the jar of dirt now," he said, with a smile on his face. He was glad his plan had worked and had worked quickly. He was also glad that everyone that mattered was safe and sound. He took the pouch and Dani by the hand and led her to find the jar, leaving Elizabeth, Will and Bootstrap Bill on the deck in the moonlight.

"Elizabeth," Will said, "I would like you to meet my father, Bootstrap Bill. He's a pirate." Will grinned.

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What did y'all think? I hope you like the way I ended this part of the storyline. I wasn't planning for this to be the end, but let me know what you think I should do. Should I continue with the next part, because it is far from over for this crew. Thanks!

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	28. Info

Hello Party Peoples!

I have decided that I am going to end this story here and continue on with a sequel story. Thanks everyone who has posted for At World's End. I truly appreciated everyone being so nice on my first fanfic.

The next one will be called _New Beginnings_. I hope to have the first chapter posted tonight. But tomorrow is my birthday…and I don't feel like doing much. (Now, I'll be officially 20!)

Thanks a million!

Amanda


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